Rafael F. Leonardo is performing the duties of Assistant Secretary of Defense for Homeland Defense and Hemispheric Affairs. In this capacity, he provides policy and planning oversight for homeland defense and defense support of civil authorities (DSCA); defense continuity and mission assurance; Arctic and global resilience; and U.S. defense and security policy for Canada, Mexico, Central America, the Caribbean, and South America.

Mr. Leonardo was previously sworn in as Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Plans and Posture on January 20, 2025. He also served in the first Trump Administration as Special Assistant to the Under Secretary of Defense for Policy, focusing on implementation of the 2018 National Defense Strategy, zero-based reviews of Combatant Commands, and updates to priority operational war plans.

In the private sector, Mr. Leonardo managed teams in functions spanning finance, warehouse operations, and customer service for a multibillion-dollar industrial supply distributor. He has also served in state government as Aide to the Governor of his home state.

A Strategist (FA59) and Military Intelligence Officer (35A) in the US Army Reserve, his past active duty assignments include lead Indo-Pacific Strategist in Headquarters, Department of the Army (HQDA) War Plans Division focusing on landpower integration into joint operational war plans and development of posture initiatives; Commander of a military intelligence brigade headquarters company; and Chief of Intelligence for an Aviation Task Force mobilized for a DSCA mission.

Mr. Leonardo holds a Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy from Boston College, a Master’s in Business Administration from University of Virginia Darden School of Business, and a Master’s in Public Administration from Harvard University Kennedy School of Government.